Senior News Line: Guard yourself against AI tricks

The year is off to a roaring start when it comes to scams. To hear the experts tell it, we have AI to thank for a lot of it.

AI, or artificial intelligence, is enhancing some of the scams that were already out there and creating more as the technology increases. Our goal: to get through 2025 without losing a single dollar to the crooks.

Last month, the FBI put out an alert focusing on scams created by artificial intelligence and ways to protect ourselves.

AI-generated text creates fake social media profiles, emails, websites and texts that push financial frauds like investment and romance schemes to trick us into sending money or disclosing personal information.

AI-generated pictures can include fake driver’s licenses or credentials for fake law enforcement. As an indication of how low they’ll go, AI can even create fake pictures of natural disasters that tug at our heartstrings and convince us to open our wallets and send money.

AI-generated audio can impersonate public figures or our loved ones and, again, the purpose is to make us believe something and open our wallets. It’s the same with AI-generated videos — to make us believe something is real when it isn’t.

No. 1 on the FBI’s list of ways to protect ourselves is to have a secret word or phrase with family so we can verify our identity. As always, if you’re suspicious about a call you receive, hang up.

Don’t send anyone you don’t know any cash or gift cards. Don’t post your photos online. If they’re online now, take them down.

As a start in staying safe from AI, search online for “how to spot AI text,” so you can learn to recognize it. Then look for images and audio.

Get up to speed on the different ways AI can fool you. Sadly, we need to be wary at all times now.